Golden State Warriors must ensure one crucial aspect if Draymond Green departs

As expected, Draymond Green officially opted out of his $27.6 million player option on Monday, making the Golden State Warriors’ forward an unrestricted free agent with the power to forge his own destiny in the coming weeks.

The former Defensive Player of the Year is still likely to return to the Warriors on a new multi-year deal. However, stranger things have happened and a potential Green departure would be crippling to a team wishing to remain in championship contention next season.

Fortunately for the Warriors, there’s a way in which they could minimize the damage should the loss of Green arise. It’s a pivotal option that’s proven franchise-altering in the recent past, and one that will be void for Golden State as of next season.

If Draymond Green were to signal his intentions to leave, the Golden State Warriors must ensure it’s through a sign-and-trade rather than direct free agency.

This is the last offseason where teams over the imminent second tax apron will be able to bring back players in a sign-and-trade. In this situation, it’s imperative for the Warriors who’d be able to get something back for Green rather than lose him for nothing.

It’s not even about the returning player themselves — albeit a team who wishes to contend would like a player of Green’s calibre in return. As we’ve seen in the past, it’s almost more about simply keeping that salary slot open.

If Green leaves as an unrestricted free agent, the Warriors are still well over the tax threshold. They’d lose Green for nothing with no plausible way of finding a replacement for anything more than a few million dollars.

The last time Golden State were faced with the prospect of losing a big name free agent, the front office kicked into gear and executed a sign-and-trade that saw D’Angelo Russell arrive upon Kevin Durant’s departure. They had to give up multiple picks as well as dump Andre Iguodala to Memphis simply to make it happen — that’s how far they were willing to go to keep that salary spot open.

Russell was a terrible fit from the start, yet former General Manager Bob Myers still managed to swing him to the Minnesota Timberwolves months later for Andrew Wiggins and a top three protected pick that resulted in Jonathan Kuminga. It was a championship winning move as Wiggins became the second-best player on the Warriors’ 2022 title team. Still, it wouldn’t have been possible without the initial sign-and-trade involving Durant and Russell.

A similar situation must happen again in the unlikely event Green wishes to leave the franchise after 11 plentiful years. You could even argue it’s more likely to eventuate than him departing as an unrestricted free agent — the 33-year-old will want to go to a contender, almost all of which have no financial room themselves to accommodate the $25+ million Green is likely to demand.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has already reported on the potential, stating, “it was expected Green would opt-out and now he can talk with Warriors, explore sign-and-trades and free agency.” The loss of Green would be a blow for Golden State either way, but one not without a silver lining if a sign-and-trade were to occur.